Origin of Cheerleading

How and where did Cheerleading begin?

Cheerleading - History and Evolution

Cheerleading has a long history dating back to the late 19th century. It has undergone a continuous evolution process, perhaps more than any other athletic event.

It is widely believed that the first pep club was organized at Princeton University in the 1870s. It all started with Thomas Peebler, a student of Princeton University, leading a group of six men on the sidelines to cheer for a university football game. In 1884, Thomas Peebler, now a graduate, took that yell to the University of Minnesota. Organized cheerleading had come into being!

Cheerleading history

It was a University of Minnesota student who introduced today's form of cheerleading. Yes, cheerleading as we know and perform it today, was introduced by Johnny Campbell, a medical student of the University of Minnesota. At a football game in 1898, Johnny Campbell led a group of guys in cheering for their team. Their yell - "Rah, Rah, Rah! Sku-U-Mah! Hoo-Rah! University! ... ... Minn-e-so-Tah!" - was recorded and it became well known in campuses. This cheer is still being remembered and used.

Following the success of this first yell, University of Minnesota officially nominated a squad for cheering at games. This marked the formal beginning of the sport of cheerleading, and it was November 1898. Cheerleading accessories of those days included drums, noise-makers (today's megaphones), flash cards, paper poms (for today's pom poms), etc. Most of these were for temporary use as they were not durable. Come 1900s and there was widespread demand for megaphones, as megaphones increased in popularity. As football, basketball, and other games attracted more and more youngsters, so did cheerleading. Widespread use of megaphones rendered more spirit and color to cheerleading, America's favorite pastime!

University of Illinois is credited with the first homecoming that was held in 1910.

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